At school Alexie and his Indian classmates faced stereotypes such as they were being failure and were not expected to be successful in their life’s just for been an Indian. His classmates would not participate in class because they grew up with the
The novel The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian is not simply written. The author Sherman Alexie, uses several words like articulate, hormonal, and decrepit which displays that the novel could be read by people of all ages. This novel is wonderfully written so that people of every socioeconomic status can relate to real-world problems like poverty, racism, death and substance abuse. Alexie uses simple language to convey the thoughts that are actually inside people’s minds. For instance, in the first chapter of the book, the author introduces Arnold to the world (Alexie, 2007). In the very first sentence the author states that Arnold was born with water inside his brain. Furthermore, the author discusses that “cerebral spinal fluid
Banned Books Week is an annual event starting on September 23 and ending on September 29 celebrating the freedom to read books freely no matter what topics are present throughout the book. The purpose of Banned Books Week is to bring the community together and express and seek ideas in books even if they are considered unorthodox. Throughout this celebratory week publishers, librarians, booksellers, journalists, teachers and more all celebrate the freedom to read and access information that they desire to explore. The outstanding novels by the names of Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson and The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie are both banned books in many middle school and high
Despite the negative stereotype of American Indians, the objections and disapproval of fellow Natives, and the criticism of others, Sherman Alexie went on to become a successful writer that has inspired many. Alexie overcame many obstacles that would have deterred him from his goal, but he was able to remain steadfast and continue on in his pursuit of writing. As a result, he has published many literary works that include several short stories, poems, and a variety of novels. He allows his culture to seep into his writing, and continues to inspire young American Indians who also desire the path of knowledge.
The first time one is able to comprehend the meaning of a word is a momentous childhood moment that is forever engraved in one’s memory. Books and reading are significantly impactful to people’s lives; Mark Twain said that, “books are for people who wish they were somewhere else.” This statement is apropo for Sherman Alexie, who was a Native American living on a reservation during the time he learned to read. Sherman Alexie convinces his audience that an education is crucial to being successful by using personal anecdotes to captivate and create a connection with his audience and repetition to reiterate the importance of having an education.
Bullying is a very serious topic, Taylor Swift once said “This isn’t a high school thing or an age thing. It’s a people thing. People cut other people down out of jealousy, because of something broke inside of them, or for no reason at all. Just don’t let them change you or stop you for anything”. In this novel The Absolutely True Story of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. Junior faces bullying in his life. He has had many health problems which lead to bullying. Junior is scared of going to Reardan because it is a white school and he is scared that he’s going to get bullied for being Indian. Junior is also going through hard times and is facing unhappiness from bullying. Junior feels isolated when he leaves Rowdy because Rowdy
Junior, a Native American child living on a reservation full of poverty has had many occurrences where the identity of the character has been trialed by a conflict in the story. Junior has been struggling throughout the novel trying to figure out his identity and where he belongs. At first, Junior tried fitting in the reservation with all the other Indians. Then he wanted to change and tried to fit in with the kids at Reardan. And lastly, he tried to figure out how to fit in with both the Natives on the reservation and kids at Reardan. Juniors struggle with identity is the critical aspect that shapes his decision to change his life and ultimately better himself.
In the novel, "Flight" The author Sherman Alexie put in the eyes of Zits, A native American teenager, who is a troubled, rebellious orphan trouble maker. Zits life has been a rough one. His father left him and his mother at birth. then His mother dies 6 years later from cancer. Has been to multiples foster homes due to abusing foster parents or his self-acting out. zits after getting arrest and being sent to a junvile detention center after running out of his foster parent's house. zits Meet a white young man named Justice who introduce Zits to a new way of thinking and the idea of committing random acts of violence. when one of these acts is to shoot up a crowded bank in a belief that will return Zits dead parents. Zits goes in the bank
Life knocks people down all the time. But it is said that it doesn't matter how many times a person gets knocked down, it is how many times that person gets back up. This is called perseverance, which can be used to help those succeed and overcome the hardships in their life. In “The Absolute True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” Alexie uses the protagonist Junior, to show how perseverance can be an effective trait, as it helps him conquer the obstacles in his life, and also expand his limits. As Junior matures he realizes that he has many obstacles within his life, like the fact that he lives in poverty, a lot of people show racism towards him and his people, and the death of family members and
As Winston Churchill said,” Success is not final. Failure is not fatal”. It is the perseverance and hope to continue that counts. This is the story of a boy named Junior whose key is his hope. The Absolutely True Diary is the life story of a Arnold Spirit (Junior) and his efforts to break the stereotypes about Indians. He wants to become something amazing; he wants to be successful. Juniors experiences throughout the book changes him as a person and he understands that life has its ups and downs but if people have hope, they can do anything. In The Absolutely True Diary, Sherman Alexie uses literary devices, Mr.P’s advice, and Juniors experiences to illustrate the theme that perseverance and hope can lead to great things.
The novel Reservation Blues by Sherman Alexie disclosed the stereotypical ideology that people have about Native Americans. As the story of Coyote Springs progressed, Alexie alluded the cultural separation and personal struggle that those individuals who lived in reservation experienced, with their experience of conflict get resolved for better or worse. The Native American try to reshape their identity and live through their falling dreams. Along the way of redefining their own Indian identity, Coyote Spring was rejected by the reservation people who obstruct the attempts of those who once held their dreams. Thomas succeeded because of his firm belief in his own identity, while those who failed did so because they blindly assimilated another’s culture.
Another case in which Junior’s ambition is recognized would be when Eugene, a friend of Junior’s father recognizes the ambition that exists within Junior and how it greatly differs from that of the other people on the reservation, including himself. When Eugene drops off Junior in Reardon, he says “It’s pretty cool you’re doing this”, he said...Yeah man I could never do it. I’m a wuss.” (72). The people on the reservation are impressed by Junior’s courage and his willingness to face his fear in lieu of a positive outcome. This is especially important on the reservation due to the fact that people have specific ways of living and specific patterns of life that they follow. Going against this is extremely rare and can be met with criticism.
I chose to analyze this quotation because it reveals the development of Junior’s realization about the extent of his poverty. He is shocked to see his mother’s name in his geometry book, and he understands how the cycle of poverty in which he is trapped is affecting his life outside his home.
In his book the Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Sherman Alexie portrays a teenage boy, Arnold Spirit (junior) living in white man’s world, and he must struggle to overcome racism and stereotypes if he must achieve his dreams. In the book, Junior faces a myriad of misfortunes at his former school in ‘the rez’ (reservation), which occurs as he struggles to escape from racial and stereotypical expectations about Indians. For Junior he must weigh between accepting what is expected of him as an Indian or fight against those forces and proof his peers and teachers wrong. Therefore, from the time Junior is in school at reservation up to the time he decides to attend a neighboring school in Rearden, we see a teenager who is facing tough consequences for attempting to go against the racial stereotypes. The decision to attend a white school is a tough one and Junior understands that for him to survive and to ensure that his background does not stop him from attaining his dreams; he must battle the stereotypes regardless of the consequences. In this light, race and stereotypes only makes junior stronger in the end as evident on how he struggles to override the race and stereotypical expectations from his time at the reservation to his time at Rearden.
Coping has been given a number of different conceptualizations. Earlier it was believed that it was an unconscious phenomenon (*Freud, 1936), whereas in the recent times it is considered as being more of a cognitive and a conscious operation. (endler & Parker,1989; Laarus and